Trump Says Sea Blockade Will Stay in Place Until Nuclear Deal Is Reached... Iran Expected to Present New Proposal This Week

The United States, which has been deadlocked in negotiations with Iran over ending the conflict, has again stepped up pressure on its allies as it tries to clean up the aftermath of the war with Iran. President of the United States Donald John Trump said the blockade around the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports would remain in place for now, while also unnerving allies by mentioning a reduction in U.S. troops stationed in Germany.
In an interview with Axios on the 29th local time, Trump warned, "Iran is suffocating because of the blockade. The situation will get worse. They cannot have nuclear weapons." He also claimed that "a blockade is somewhat more effective than bombing."
After Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war, the United States has since the 13th barred Iran-linked vessels from entering and leaving the Strait of Hormuz and nearby Iranian ports. The two sides held their first postwar negotiations on the 11th after a ceasefire on the 7th, but they have not yet reached a second round of talks.
Trump said, "Iran wants a deal. (Iran) does not want me to keep the blockade in place," adding, "I do not want to lift it either, because I do not want them to have nuclear weapons." Axios, citing a source, reported that CENTCOM is preparing short, powerful airstrikes targeting Iran in order to restart negotiations.
CNN reported the same day that Iran may deliver a new proposal this week to Pakistan, which is mediating the postwar talks. Trump met with energy industry executives, including Mike Wirth, chairman of the board and chief executive officer (CEO) of Chevron, at the White House on the 28th. During the meeting, he said the Strait of Hormuz blockade could last for months and discussed measures to limit damage inside the U.S., according to reports.
International oil prices surged after Trump said the blockade would remain in place. Brent Crude Oil futures briefly rose as much as 6.8% to above $126 per barrel in Asian trading on the afternoon of the 30th, compared with the previous session. That marked the highest level in four years since the Russo-Ukrainian war in 2022.
While saying it would continue to control the Strait of Hormuz area, the U.S. military has actually reduced its local forces. The Washington Post reported on the 29th that the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that took part in the bombing of Iran, will return to the United States in a few days. That would leave only two U.S. aircraft carriers involved in the bombing campaign against Iran.
Instead, Trump is pushing for allies to take on more of the burden. On the 27th at UN headquarters, Michael Waltz, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, stressed that countries around the world are suffering because of Iran. He argued that the international community should create a cooperative body such as the Maritime Freedom Coalition to jointly safeguard safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
pjw@fnnews.com Park Jong-won Reporter